1964, he broke through the constraints of the prevailing genetic viewpoint at that time and took the lead in developing three-line hybrid rice in China. In 1970s, he solved three major problems in the research of three-line hybrid rice, namely, three-line matching, excellent combination matching and low seed production. From the 1980s to the mid-1990s, he put forward the development strategy of hybrid rice breeding and solved some key technical problems in the two-line method.
Since the mid-1990s, he has designed the super-high yield plant model with high crown, short panicle and middle panicle and the technical route for cultivating super hybrid rice, and has made great progress in the research of super hybrid rice frequently. 1982, the International Rice Research Institute recognized Yuan Longping, a scientist from China, as the "father of hybrid rice" in the world for the first time. While practicing scientific research, Yuan Longping constantly summed up experience and sublimated his theory.
Since 1966 published the first research paper on hybrid rice in China, more than 60 papers have been published, including 12 papers published abroad; Seven monographs have been published. As an academic leader, Yuan Longping has trained a large number of hybrid rice experts and technical backbones, established and improved a set of theoretical and applied technical systems in hybrid rice research and development, and thus created a systematic new discipline-hybrid rice science.
Second, Yuan Longping's research on hybrid rice has solved the problem of feeding people in China and ensured the national food security. Someone once said humorously that farmers in China depend on "two levels", one is the responsibility system in Deng Xiaoping, and the other is the hybrid rice in Yuan Longping. Since 1976, "three-line" hybrid rice has been popularized in a large area in China, with an average yield increase of about 20% compared with conventional rice, which has made a historic contribution to solving China's grain problem.
In 2000, the first research target of super hybrid rice successfully passed the acceptance organized by the Ministry of Agriculture. Academician Song Jian, former State Councilor and former director of the State Science and Technology Commission, praised: "This achievement is of great significance to ensuring food security in China in the 2/kloc-0 century." Subsequently, Yuan Longping achieved the second research goal of super hybrid rice ahead of schedule, which increased the yield by about 30% compared with ordinary hybrid rice.
According to statistics, by the end of 2006, China had planted more than 5.6 billion mu of hybrid rice, increasing the rice by more than 520 billion kilograms. In recent years, the annual planting area of hybrid rice in China is about 240 million mu, and the increased rice can feed more than 70 million people. This is a powerful answer to the question "Who will feed China in the future" put forward by American economist Brown in 1990s.
Thirdly, Yuan Longping's lifelong pursuit of "developing hybrid rice for the benefit of the people of the world" has made great contributions to promoting the international development of hybrid rice and promoting China's foreign exchange. 1938- 1980, as the first patented agricultural technology exported from China, hybrid rice was transferred to the United States, which attracted wide attention from the international community.
In the early 1990s, FAO listed the promotion of hybrid rice as a strategic measure to solve the food shortage in developing countries. Over the years, Yuan Longping has visited the International Rice Research Institute for seven times to carry out cooperative research, and has been hired as the international chief consultant of the FAO, and has visited India, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh and other countries for more than a dozen times to guide the development of hybrid rice. At the same time, he also held more than 20 international training courses on hybrid rice in China, and trained 500 technicians for more than 30 countries.
After returning to China, these experts became the technical backbone of local research and popularization of hybrid rice. At present, Vietnam, India and the Philippines have become countries that produce and apply hybrid rice on a large scale, and the yield increase effect of hybrid rice is also very significant. For example, in Vietnam, the planting area of hybrid rice reached 650,000 hectares in 2004, with 6.3 tons per hectare, which was 40% higher than the national average rice output. For example, in the Philippines, the area planted with hybrid rice reached 370,000 hectares in 2005, with an average yield per hectare.
The Philippine government plans to develop 3 million hectares of hybrid rice by 2007 to achieve food self-sufficiency. In July 2005, Yuan Longping put forward the proposal of "hybrid rice diplomacy", that is, actively promoting hybrid rice in developing countries and expanding China's influence, so as to further promote the development of bilateral relations.
This proposal has been highly valued by state leaders and relevant departments, and "hybrid rice diplomacy" will become an important part of China's "going out" strategy. In June, 2005, Yuan Longping gave a speech at the Fourth Advanced Training Course for Ambassadors and Counsellors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and China's ambassadors, consuls-general and counsellors in more than 80 countries listened to the report.
Fourthly, Yuan Longping has trained a large number of hybrid rice research and extension talents. Over the past 40 years, under his personal training, direct teaching and indirect influence, a hybrid rice technical team has been formed in his research center and the national hybrid rice technology research cooperation unit, shouldering the heavy responsibility of in-depth development of hybrid rice.
For example, in the National Hybrid Rice Engineering and Technology Research Center, he has donated the consulting fees obtained by cooperation with American Rice Technology Company as the director fund every year for many years, with a total donation of more than 654.38+0 million yuan, which is used to support scientific researchers, especially young people, to carry out promising and potential project research. Almost every year, several projects receive funding of 20,000-50,000 yuan.
He not only funded the scientific and technological personnel of his own unit, but also funded the scientific researchers of other units, such as a postdoctoral fellow of Fujian Agricultural University, to conduct exploratory research on polyploid rice breeding, but suffered from insufficient funds. After learning this, Academician Yuan Longping specially allocated a sum of money to encourage him to achieve results. Academician Yuan Longping is not only open-minded, but also advanced in consciousness. He knows that the future agricultural science and technology will only lag behind conventional technology, but it must be in line with modern biotechnology.